Eagles survive ugly offensive performance in 21-17 win over Chiefs

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A world championship was not on the line for Monday night’s game between the Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. The Super Bowl LVII rematch was a mirror result of the game. The Chiefs were the ones that came out of halftime with a 10-point lead. However, the Eagles were able to mount a comeback, using a fourth-quarter “Brotherly Shove” to take a late lead and avenge their Super Bowl loss with the Chiefs in the 21-17 win.

BUY EAGLES TICKETS: VIVID SEATS

Although the team left the game with a 9-1 record, the Eagles offense looked sluggish, finishing with 238 yards of total offense, having issues throwing the ball in the rainy and windy conditions. After the Chiefs opened up the scoring with a 10-play, 80-yard drive that was capped off with Chiefs tight end Justin Watson all alone in the end zone, resulting in a 3-yard touchdown pass. The Eagles answered on the ensuing drive, marching 70 yards down the field on nine plays, with running back D’Andre Swift shouldering the load, first running 17 yards and following it up with a 4-yard touchdown run.

After the touchdown, The Eagles could only get a little done offensively after scoring their first touchdown, with the next five possessions resulting in an interception followed by four straight punts. The Chiefs used defensive tackle Chris Jones to line up at different spots on the line, leading to Jones finishing with two sacks and four tackles for loss, creating havoc up front and difficulties blocking him up. The passing game was not much better, with Hurts completing 14 of his 22 passes for 150 yards and an interception. For a time, the offensive play calls were limited to wide receiver screens, running back screens, and Hurts scrambling.

Despite their issues, the Eagles relied on the familiar formula of keeping the ball on the ground finishing with 114 net rushing yards. The Eagles used the combination of Swift, Boston Scott, and Kenneth Gainwell to rush between the 20s, and went to the familiar dray play the team likes to use with quarterback Jalen Hurts , which got the Eagles to within seven points after his 10-yard touchdown.

The Eagles came to life after sticking to the run game, sticking with it despite the Chiefs bottling it up. The Eagles did get creative trying to create lanes, using Swift in the slot to run an end-around that gained 35 yards. The Eagles also relied on Hurts and the designed runs when the team ran their four-minute offense, trying to bleed the clock dry.

The biggest difference between last year’s game and Monday was the Eagles were able to get big plays late. When the Chiefs were driving with 13:21 left in the fourth quarter, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce caught a pass and was close to the goal line, but cornerback Bradley Roby punched the ball out, keeping the game within a field goal. Later in the drive, Hurts took a chance downfield, finding wide receiver DeVonta Smith on a 41-yard gain, leading to Hurts’ second touchdown.

The Eagles also had a bit of luck on their side. Roby was beat with 1:42 left in the game by wide receiver Marquez Valdez-Scantling who had a clear break to the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown. However, Valdez-Scantling dropped the ball, and the Eagles were able to survive.

The Eagles will look to get their 10th in the season and maintain their lead in a tight NFC race for the top seed on a short week when they face the Buffalo Bills Sunday afternoon at Lincoln Financial Field.

MORE STORIES: How relationship of Eagles’ top 2 WRs has evolved on and off the fieldHow Eagles are preparing for Chiefs without an ‘elite’ teammate